The present invention relates to chairs having armrests, and more particularly relates to a chair having an adjustable armrest that is adjustable between right and left side positions and that has a seat accommodating such movement.
It is often desirable to use chairs that take up a minimum of space in areas where space is particularly valuable or limited. For example, gaming businesses in Japan called "pachinko" parlors often use chairs that take up a minimum of space, so that patrons are comfortably but closely positioned in front of gaming devices. This permits a maximum number of patrons to be accommodated at one time. At the same time, it is desirable to support the seated user's arm(s) while playing a particular game, yet the armrest must be able to allow the patron to enter and exit the chair with ease when beginning or finishing a game. This problem is compounded by chair armrests that interfere with entering and exiting a chair from a rear angle to the chair, and further is compounded by armrests that do not adequately adjustably support a person's arm during use. At the same time, the cost and complexity of chairs and armrests must be minimized to remain marketable in the competitive chair industry.
Chairs that maximize space utilization and/or that have adjustable armrests are also desired in office areas where significant amount of tasks are performed while seated in the chairs. Further, chairs having a distinctive appearance are always in demand.
Accordingly, a chair having an adjustable armrest is desired that satisfies the aforementioned needs.